Full Moon Rising
by Vetesse
Summary: Klaus' blood is starting to affect Damon in ways no one ever would have begun to imagine - but what's just Damon and what's these new side effects? And what will be the consequences? VAMPCEST, POLY - Stefan/Elena/Damon, featuring Jyler, Damon/Alaric.
1. I'm Burning Alive

'Full Moon Rising' – Chapter One, 'I'm Burning Alive'

It wasn't as if Stefan could tell something was wrong when he walked through the front door of the Salvatore house, it was more of less that he could feel it.

A subtle crackling to the air, a weight, a heaviness that seemed so imperceptible he almost doubted its existence. But it was tangible all the same and present. He just couldn't figure out what it was coming from or by whom. He was prepared to write it off altogether. It had been a long day after all, even for him.

"Damon?" he asked, glancing into either room to the left and right of the wide main hall. The air was still... it was almost as if no one was home but that couldn't be. Stefan had a sense for his older brother and he was here. He could feel it.

"In here Stefan." a smooth voice called, inviting with all the usual and characteristic sensual undercurrents the elder Vampire usually possessed. But again Stefan had this... feeling he couldn't entirely place.

So it was with somewhat cautious steps and a puzzled brow that he advanced into the living room, treading curiously.

Damon was standing, drink in hand, an arm propped up against the mantlepiece or somewhere near, leaning casually and slightly into it. He didn't usually drink all that much anymore and Stefan swept his eyes over him quickly. He didn't appear tense or stressed... there didn't appear to be something wrong at all but something _was _different.

Damon's eyes swept over him in turn and Stefan stepped further into the room, "How are you feeling?" he asked, wondering remotely if the werewolf blood from Klaus could be affecting Damon in ways they hadn't yet realized. They hadn't researched the possible effects and now he was wondering if that had been a hindsight on their parts.

"Pretty good all things considering." Damon smiled, "And yourself? Elena and I had to lock you up twice as long as last time."

Stefan winced a bit at what Klaus had almost made him, had come so close to turning him into all his darkest, deepest fears – and sat down heavily on the couch, running a hand through his hair. "What I did... it stopped. That's all that matters."

Suddenly, Damon was sitting next to him on the couch – Stefan blinking over at him, a bit shocked. Either Damon was a lot better than he thought or his latest detox had taken more out of him that he'd realized. Maybe it was a bit of both but at this close distance, he could see his brother's eyes far more clearly and those almost translucent, vibrant blue depths were practically alight... and slightly dilated.

"Damon... are you sure you're feeling all right?" Stefan murmured, almost feeling Compelled under that hypnotic gaze and breathtaking stare. Those eyes had a tendency to make Stefan forget his own name but right now it seemed... amplified.

"Better than all right Stefan." Damon murmured in a low, husky voice, and Stefan's eyes slipped down to watch his brother lick his lips – uncharacteristically doing the same... and nearly groaning at the sight. But apparently that almost sound was enough for Damon, who reached out and grabbed his shirt, pulling him close and into a searing, burning, blazing hot passionate kiss that didn't waste any time.

Damon's tongue plundered his own, for just a few seconds before Stefan found his brain and wrestled back the control, pushing into his brother's embrace and slipping his hand to the back of his neck – thrusting his tongue inside the heat of his brother's mouth and growling with pleasure at the taste, already hungry of an entirely different sort for more.

Somewhat clumsily, Damon pushed Stefan back and crawled into his lap, thrusting his hips down onto his younger brother's and gasping as their already hardened erections met through their clothing.

Stefan gasped loudly, getting a firm hold of Damon's luxurious black locks, which were growing out longer but at this rate Stefan was going to see to it that he didn't cut it – the other gripping his older brother's hip tightly in another hand, pulling him into him and begging for that delicious friction again.

Damon gave it, groaning into his mouth as he thrust down into him once more. And Stefan suddenly needed him then, there, in any way that he could get him. And fuzzily he was reeling at the intensity. Damon's body was practically vibrating against his own and he was already damp from sweat – he felt feverish and that finally broke him of whatever spell he seemed to be under –

"Damon." he gasped, taking his brother's face into his hands, and trying desperately to regain some sort of control. "Damon look at me. You feel warm. I think its too much too soon, you're still recovering from Klaus' bite."

"Stefan _please_-" Damon whimpered against his neck, nipping at the skin and lapping just underneath his chin – where his undead blood pulsed just beneath the skin.

Stefan growled and all control was utterly shattered. When Damon begged – he was beyond all any restraint very nearly, he couldn't take it – couldn't say no. Because Damon didn't beg for anyone but him.

He blurred – taking his brother with him to the other couch and pressing him back against the cushions, thrusting his hips down onto his lover's erection and holding him gently but firmly by the neck, holding him down, nipping at any skin he could reach.

Damon whimpered and submitted beneath him, gasping – chest heaving – hips arching up into his, his body begging and screaming for more in ways he appeared to beyond all words to ask for. It drove Stefan to the brink of insanity with lust, love and desire and he reached down – tearing his brother's shirt open.

That brought out more of the beast in Damon, the older Vampire growling with pleasure, grabbing Stefan's pants and ripping them open, reaching inside to grasp his erection in his hand – seemingly cool against his blazing hot palm. And Stefan knew that Damon shouldn't be _literally _this hot. Physically it shouldn't be possible – but Damon was begging him with everything that he had, his body apparently screaming with need. And Stefan didn't know if he could stop even if it was the smartest thing to do. A Damon of any sort was hard to resist, nearly impossible, but this – this was something else entirely.

Groaning with a halting gasp he thrust down into the heat of the hand beneath him, nipping at the open expanse his lover's chest – teasing a nipple with his tongue and lips, flicking it rapidly over the other until he heard a high pitched whine from his brother that nearly made him come on the spot.

Quickly he reached down for his brothers pants, needing him naked _yesterday_. And right then was far too long to wait.

Damon was on the same page, pulling at his shirt until it ripped and tossing it aside – both vampires fumbling out of their clothes and leaving them in shreds, tossing them aside or whatever was left of them.

Stefan licked and bit down his brother's body, running his hands reverently over the fevered, beautiful pale flesh beneath him. One of his hands found Damon's face and Stefan gave a gasping groan as a finger was sucked into a hot mouth, a tongue swirling around the tip.

Suddenly, in a blur, they were across the room and Stefan's back was to the wall – Damon dropping down to his knees in front of him and taking him into his mouth and all his considerable length with an ease that made Stefan see stars.

"Damon!" he shouted, grasping his hair in a hand and clawing at his shoulder with the other, arching his hips into the knowing hands and mouth that so expertly threatened to throw him all too soon over the brink of ecstasy. Luckily Vampires had incredible stamina and he let himself tumble over, his teeth clacking together as his jaw clenched shut in the effort not to yell – erupting coolly into his lover's seemingly impossibly hot mouth.

Damon groaned eagerly, swallowing everything that he had and continuing to suck him dry – overly sharp canines brushing so lightly over his over sensitized cock, Stefan almost shuddering violently all the same. He blurred then, taking them up to the bedroom and shoving his brother back against his bed, on him in a a fraction of a second.

Skin to skin, bodies flush against each other, Damon couldn't get closer and Stefan felt the same way – biting at his neck teasingly, thrusting down onto his brother's hardness before plundering his mouth in a soul claiming kiss.

"Fuck me Stefan!" Damon cried out once his mouth was free, arching his body up to meet his younger brother's, pleading with his teeth – setting him alight like Stefan couldn't even _grasp_.

Fumbling for the lubrication in the bedside drawer, sending a number of things crashing to the floor and not caring in the slightest – finally he found it and tossed it to the side of the bed. He wasn't done with Damon yet, not hardly, grasping his wrists and pinning them to the bed above his head – holding him in place, their erections pressing firmly to each other and not in an inch of space seemingly between them.

Slowly he worked Damon's neck and all that he could reach of it with his mouth. Lips, tongue, teeth – tracing over his lover's skin and leaving marks that quickly healed. He wanted to sink his teeth into that willing expanse of flesh and feel Damon do the same – connect with him in all ways, join until they were one flesh – one soul, one _being –_ in an intimacy that humans could never understand.

Damon was shaking and shuddering beneath him, nearly sobbing with need. And Stefan knew in the back of his mind that this was extreme, that Damon seemed painfully on fire with lust – that he was probably fevered. They should stop – but it seemed as though that would be more painful to Damon than continuing. He seemed to _need _this.

Spreading the lubrication around his fingers, Stefan reached between them and sought out his lover's opening – Damon's wide blue eyes widening even further as he felt that first touch, thrusting down onto his lover's fingers and trying to take him as he could right then. Stefan growled a warning at him, baring his teeth but Damon didn't even seem to be seeing him, squirming to get closer – to get Stefan's fingers inside him.

Stefan thrust them in carefully – it had been a week or two and he was ever the careful lover. Much to Damon's sometimes ire. But he couldn't help it. Not with his brother still healing, not with whatever was going on now – not with whatever fires were possessing his older brother.

Quickly but thoroughly and efficiently he prepared him, Damon babbling pleas and nearly crying – so was he on the edge of insanity with need. And he was getting impossibly hotter. Stefan couldn't stop, but he couldn't wait either – taking his length in his hand and pressing it to his lover's opening, murmuring whatever he could and whatever fell past his lips too soothe his brother even though Damon seemed to be deaf to it.

"Stefan please – _please_!"

"Okay, okay-" Stefan soothed through a groan and over his brother's as he thrust inside and thrust deep. It felt like his lover's spasming channeling was swallowing him alive and he dropped his head down to his brother's shoulder, gasping for air and groaning as he worked his way steadily inside while the older vampire beneath him clung to him and shook and begged for more, arching hotly up into until their bodies were flush – damp and nothing left between them.

"Damon!" Stefan gave a gasping groan, willing himself not to come apart right then and setting a hard and fast rhythm immediately.

Damon met all his thrusts, moving nearly too fast for him to keep up too but he did his best – licking and growling through a groan as he worked his lover's neck with his tongue. His older brother's high pitched cries into the otherwise empty room echoed, nearly overlapping each other – nearly constant, the vampire clawing at him, trying to get impossibly closer still.

It was hot, it was like drowning in an inferno and being utterly and completely consumed, it was the most pleasurable experience Stefan had ever had making love – it was coming _home _like nothing else but Elena's body could be. It was completely and all encompassing –

"Stefan!" Damon cried, shouting out his name loudly – in the same instant his body tightening impossibly tight around Stefan, the other vampire coming entirely apart with a halting and gasping groan. He leaned down as he felt himself tumble over, sinking his teeth into his lover's neck and groaning out the orgasmic release as their minds flooded into each other's.

He felt his neck being pierced as well and his orgasm doubled, tripled, as he sunk his teeth in deeper – his pleasure Damon's pleasure, his body Damon's, both of them one and the same – feeling each other's sensations as much as they were their own. He felt his cock buried deep within Damon and he felt the feeling of his cock filling Damon up, stretching him, claiming him – he felt it all and he felt still _more –_ blood running down their necks and staining the sheets as they clung to each other and staggered into depths of pleasure so deep – Stefan thought he just might black out.

But somehow, _somehow _he managed to keep conscious – withdrawing his teeth gently from his lover's neck and tenderly and lovingly sucking and licking at the pale flesh beneath his mouth. He felt Damon doing the same but finally had to tear his mouth away, licking consoling at the quivering skin beneath him and dropping his head down to Damon's shoulder.

He struggled to catch his breath for a moment – his older brother still lapping at the drying blood on his neck, lovingly – in long and tender licks. It was like the other vampire was somewhere else entirely, in another realm or sphere of existence. He had been like a thing possessed – never before like Stefan had felt or seen him quite like this. He had literally been on fire with lust and passion and love and this tenderness was utterly unprecedented.

"Damon." Stefan said, his voice coming out far less firm than he'd intended, clearing his throat and trying again but speaking tenderly – gently, "_Damon_." he gently pulled him back from his neck, meeting his eyes and searching them with his own, "Hey. Damon look at me."

Damon was looking but it hardly looked as if he was seeing, wide blue eyes peering up at him openly.

Stefan stroked his hair back, his brother still shockingly warm to the touch, stroking a hand tenderly over his chest, "Damon talk to me."

The vampire beneath him blinked, looking almost lost for a moment, "Stefan?" he asked. And then he did something Stefan hadn't seen him do in over a hundred and fifty years – yawn.

Stefan grinned at the shockingly human but vulnerable gesture and Damon gave him a look that border lined on grumpy. "I'm _tired _Stefan," he said, stressing the word. His lower half gave a somewhat provocative wiggle against him, "And you should know. _You _were the cause of it after all." he smiled.

"Damon I don't think you're completely well quite yet." Stefan murmured worriedly, ignoring the rest, stroking his hand through his lover's hair. And the way Damon somewhat tiredly leaned into his touch, his eyes fluttering closed – it was all the more a confirmation.

Suddenly Stefan heard a door open downstairs, turning his head sharply towards the sound. He gave Damon a firm look, who hadn't even apparently noticed or didn't seem to care, his eyes still closed. "Stay _here_."

"Yeah, yeah. It's probably just Elena." Damon smiled, murmuring it softly – practically already asleep.

Stefan hated to leave him but quickly he threw some clothes on, blurring downstairs. He recognized the footsteps, he would know them any place or anywhere and the smell of perfume greeted him next, known to him only from this distance by him alone – or another vampire.

"Stefan." Elena smiled, but one glance took in his flushed and slightly disheveled appearance and her smile rapidly faded with concern, "Are you okay?" she reached out for the blood on his neck, Stefan smiling and reaching up to catch her hands.

"I'm fine." he said, intercepting her growing look of alarm.

"You look like you've been jumped." she laughed, "I take it Damon is feeling better."

Stefan laughed and let her hands go, running his hands over her arms, "Yes apparently he is."

"Ooh and I missed it?" Elena smiled, the smile playful and a bit coy.

"And... you know why. You get two vampires in the same bed together and it could be dangerous for you Elena." he sighed and shifted from that somewhat tense subject, "I think something is wrong with Damon. I can't explain it-"

"What do you mean?" Elena asked, the alarm and previous concern back in an instant.

"I can't explain it Elena but I'm sure everything is fine." he reached up and tapped his ears, not quite sure if he wanted to discuss this where Damon could hear it or not. "He's okay."

She caught the gesture and fell silent, giving him a look though that told him he'd better explain, Stefan taking out his cell phone and holding up a finger, gesturing for her to wait a moment. And as much as he could possibly explain through a text and limited characters, he did his best to explain what had just happened over four or five.

She relaxed and gave him a smile with a raised eyebrow over her phone and replied. _Are you sure that's just not Damon feeling better?_

Stefan sighed. _It's different Elena. It felt different._

She nodded seriously, her previous smile gone, and closed her phone after deleting the messages – Stefan doing the same. He then reached out and took her hand, both of them together walking up to his or their bedroom now. After all coming together, they'd deemed that they'd need one for all of them and it was yet to be completely put together yet. How they had ended up in Stefan's old room was beyond him but in the haze of lust, he wasn't entirely surprised.

"Elena..." he said, stopping her outside the door and pitching his voice softly, "When vampires... come together it can be messy."

"Stefan I understand." Elena smiled, reaching up to put a hand on his arm to reassure him through a gesture.

"Biting isn't just a gesture of 'feeding'. It can be very intimate, and can hold a lot of meaning. I may..." he smiled, "look like a mess but trust me we didn't hurt each other."

She said, smiling and giving a nod, "Stefan I understand. It's okay. Let's get you both cleaned up."

Stefan gave her a warm smile, feeling once more immensely grateful for the incredible person Elena was, treading quietly into the bedroom in respect for Damon – who was still apparently soundly asleep.

"Damon." Stefan smiled, whispering it softly as he approached the bed.

"Mm?" Damon said, waking a bit and looking over at them. He relaxed with a satiated smile of at Elena, snuggling into the sheets, "_You_ missed all the fun."

"I see that." she smiled broadly, breathing a soft laugh, reaching out to run a hand down his arm.

Stefan cleaned himself up briefly but his thoughts were entirely on his brother and he brought a bowl of warm water and a couple cloths over to them – as well as a packet of blood.

"Damon," he smiled down at the sleepy and satiated vampire, gently putting the tube in his mouth and squeezing the bag, "Try some sips for me. Nice and easy." he glanced over at Elena, "Here," he said, passing the bag over to her.

She took his place, Stefan reaching out for the bowl of and the cloth resting in the warm water they'd brought back from the bathroom – tending to his brother carefully, gently. Lovingly washing his skin free of the evidence of their love making and the blood. He noticed Elena's look, her glance, but it wasn't anything negative. The curiosity however was almost just as bad. He knew they couldn't keep her from this aspect of their lives forever but he wanted to try.

Life was unpredictable. Besides the obvious – that he didn't trust his and Damon's unbridled passions with her in the same room or much less house, if they allowed her to take part she could get hurt or worse – something unforeseen could happen to her with their blood in her system. And Elena had made it clear that she didn't want to be a vampire, at least not any time in the near future. The risks were too great. But he knew he couldn't keep her away forever. And Damon never helped matters – seeing absolutely no problem with her joining them – openly inviting it and goading it to happen all other times.

They both tucked Damon into bed – the elder Vampire rolling over and turning his backs to them, snuggling into the sheets without a word of protest, Stefan smiling as he reached out to run a hand through his hair. Gathering his other lover up in a glance – they headed for the bathroom, Elena wordlessly prompting him to open his arms – reaching for his shirt.

"Your turn." she whispered with a smile.

Stefan smiled and let her strip his shirt away, indulging her and keeping his arms spread as she ran the cloth of his chest – reaching up to cradle the back of his neck in a hand as she cleaned off his neck.

"Mmm." Stefan murmured appreciatively, letting his eyes fall closed a moment and tilting his head to the side to give her better access to his neck. "That feels good."

"I'm glad." she smiled.

"I think I'm going to need a lot more than this though." he smiled as he dropped his arms, opening his eyes, "Face it I'm a wreck."

"A very sexy wreck." she smiled, tilting an eyebrow at him. He especially loved the somewhat shy way she said it – as if she wasn't daring enough to be completely coy. But it was another endearing quality about her that he loved so much. Her gentleness, her compassion – something to which he could relate to her with – another few traits he was utterly smitten with. He suspected they'd both been hurt in the past for the same qualities, taken advantage of, and at the same time – in the positive aspects – she _understood_.

And it was that understanding that he cherished so much.

Taking her heart shaped face in his hands, he leaned down – pressing his lips to hers gently, moaning softly – appreciatively – as her hands found his face and she stepped closer to him, pressing her body to his and deepening the kiss gently. There was a power beneath that soft and supple mouth, nothing related to the strength of a vampire – but of the strength of the individual.

Damon had brought it up to him before, about how 'kinky' he suspected their sweet Elena could be – to which Stefan had laughed at the notion. But he'd sensed a possessiveness about her, a strength, from the first time they'd made love. She'd taken most of the control – seeming to know just what she wanted, seeming to want to claim him and for him to know it. It had been the most moving experience of Stefan's life – and the most completing. And in the back of his mind he _did _wonder. With Damon's coaxing – what would she do? How far would she take it?

"I think I need a shower too." Elena whispered against his lips when they finally pulled back, smiling at his answering smile to her words.

"I like the sound of that." Stefan smiled, slipping a hand down to the small of her back – the other lightly buried in her hair as they rocked ever so slightly where they stood, foreheads lightly touching.

Together they undressed – taking turns helping each other out of their clothing. Stefan had a lot less to lose so he was naked first – but both were very nearly at the same time, Stefan meeting his lover's lips as he carefully guided her backwards into the shower. She trustingly went, backing up under his guidance and giving back into the kiss as much as she was receiving.

"Mm." he groaned softly, breaking the kiss briefly to start the water, reaching around behind her to turn the knobs. He was so distracted by the way she was kissing his neck that he almost scalded them both, Elena crying out in surprise and jumping back a bit. Stefan shared the laugh, "That was all your fault."

"Oh really?" she smiled.

"Yes," Stefan grinned, reaching back to shut the shower door.

There was a rush of air and a blur of motion – Stefan parting his mouth in shock and barely following the blurred shape with his gaze as he shut the door behind it. And then Damon was there, catching Elena in his arms – their lover giving a bit of a start of shock and laughing, "Damon!"

"Well who else?" Damon smirked, tossing a grin over his shoulder at Stefan.

"_You_-" Stefan growled with a smile and a shake of his head in disbelief as he came up behind his brother, wrapping an arm around him and pressing close, "Are _insufferable_." he said, biting his shoulder firmly but not enough to break skin.

"And insatiable." Damon smiled, "Speaking of which..." he looked back at Elena.

Elena gave him a somewhat warning look through a smile, glancing back over at Stefan. "Damon..."

"What!" Damon protested, "I was already dressed for the occasion." his smile returned and he lifted his eyebrows at her, "You really aren't going to kick me out are you?" leaning down, he gently nipped at her collar bone, imploringly kissing it and moving closer.

"Damon we can't." Stefan sighed, dropping his head down to his brother's shoulder.

"_Please_." Damon whispered imploringly, continuing to taste their lover's skin in front of him – Elena letting out a breath of pleasure and gently curling her fingers into Damon's hair – giving Stefan a heated and a bit of a pleading look.

"Stefan we can't stay apart like this. I love you both so much. And I want you both. We _need_ to be together."

Damon let out sound of agreement, placing a tender kiss underneath Elena's jaw and gripping her close gently – appearing moved by her words, sinking into her embrace with a measure of relief. Stefan felt his brother relax in his arms and sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. He couldn't deny Elena's words. They were true, they were spoken no more truer than how she'd spoken them.

"All right." Stefan murmured heavily, "But no biting! You got that Damon?"

"All right, all right." Damon groused, much like a disappointed child – but the tone was lost quickly as he sighed in relief and pleasure – meeting Elena's lips with his own.

Stefan almost lost it at the sight, his mouth going dry and his cock quickly hardening. He thrust his growing arousal against his brother's backside – Damon gasping with pleasure and letting out a high pitched, keening sound as he glanced back – pale blue eyes dilated with lust and love.

And then he was kissing Elena again, deep and soft – alternating between them both, their human lover taking his face in her hands and pressing as close as she could, reaching back to card her fingers gently through Stefan's hair, the younger vampire groaning at her touch.

Damon reached down for Elena's legs and lifted her up, pressing her gently to the wall but holding her with his strength alone – barely any pressure of her skin against the tile, almost settled fully in his arms, deepening the kiss briefly before pulling back to meet her eyes.

"Yes, yes Damon." she gasped softly.

Damon groaned without breaking their locked and heated gazes, Stefan watching in no small amount of wonder at the bond flowing brightly between them – the love and the passion. Elena's expression of pleasure as Damon entered her was the most exquisite and beautiful thing, only rivaled by Damon's – threaten to undo Stefan right then. Either that or move him to tears and he nearly did both, gasping softly and groaning out his approval as he watched them join together as one.

"Oh." Elena cried out softly, her eyes nearly falling closed as Damon sunk deeply within her quivering depths, her head falling lightly back to the shower wall behind her. "Damon yes-"

Both breathing heavily, Damon finally stilled – the care in which he'd entered her enough to be called uncharacteristic to the elder vampire but Stefan knew better. He'd known him in 1864. And he knew that man still remained. That shy, innocent, sometimes heartrendingly tender and vulnerable Damon – who wouldn't hurt a fly, who trusted perhaps far too much, who'd do anything for any and all without much thought to himself. A man often desperate to prove himself, to be loved – to be desired, to be wanted and needed.

Elena clung to Damon, drawing her legs up to press them against his sides as he began to move, wrapping her arms around both of them and drawing Stefan for a deep and passionate kiss. Stefan returned it with passionate abandon, licking at her lips and delving deeply into the hot, velvety taste of her mouth and tongue sliding against his own. Damon turned his head to watch them kiss and groaned at the site, Elena turning her head at the sound and taking his mouth somewhat possessively with her own – gentling it and drawing him out with her.

Damon turned his head back for Stefan's lips next as he increased the pace of his thrusts, Elena's head dropping down to Damon's shoulder with a gasping groan as Stefan happily and passionately gave the kiss that his brother was seeking. Elena lifted her head to watch them a moment, her mouth falling open now in steady gasps.

"Damon!" she cried out softly.

The older vampire groaned, gazing at her in open mouthed wonder. Stefan could relate. Elena was so breathtakingly beautiful and like this – open and free and unrestrained, her beauty was boundless, limitless and soul rendering.

Damon suddenly let out a pained sound, closing his eyes and pulling his face further away from her neck. Stefan – who'd been breathlessly watching for the time being, was suddenly glad he hadn't yet given in to the passion unfolding before him, gently gripping his brother's hips and kissing his neck consolingly, "Breathe Damon." he said, knowing all too well what he was struggling with.

Elena saw it more than he did and by her face he knew what she was seeing. Damon's eyes blackening – his eyes changing and his fangs elongating.

"It's okay." she soothed, reaching up to cradle her face in her hands, much as she had for Stefan their first night together and sometimes on other occasions where he too felt the overpowering need to bite, to feast, to join in the vampire way. Lust and passion and those acts went all too hand in hand – consequences of being with a human lover. The efforts of maintaining control.

It took a minute, but Damon calmed and they resumed where they left off. But the passionate fires had gentled and his thrusts into Elena were more controlled and lengthened. Stefan, breathing softly against his lover's shoulder, reached between them and slipped his fingers into the crevice of his brother's behind – tracing lightly the entrance to his body.

It quivered beneath his gentle touch and Damon gasped and looked over his shoulder at him, "Stefan yes. Now." he said, shuddering into his touch.

Stefan slipped two fingers carefully into his lover's opening – stretching and sinking them into his lover's still tight depths, despite their love making no more than a half hour ago, maybe less. Damon cried out and his hips spasmed, thrusting deeply into Elena and causing her to cry out as well. Stefan jerked his head up, looking over at their human lover with concern but she didn't appear to be hurt – the younger vampire trying to relax but finding himself nearly unable.

"Stefan." Damon gasped against Elena's shoulder, vibrant blue eyes looking back at him with an intensely lustful and needing gaze. Elena opened her eyes at this and those smokey depths met his own.

"Join us Stefan. We shouldn't be apart anymore." she reached back, caressing the back of his neck with a hand, her face a mask of intense pleasure as Damon continued his thrusts inside her – appearing lost to them both, "Please Stefan."

Elena's voice drew his eyes from Damon and he leaned forward, capturing her lips with his own and drowning in the sweet taste. He thrust his tongue in deeply, gently – tenderly drawing out the kiss – at the same time reaching down for his own hardened cock, lining it up at his brother's entrance. Elena reached down and cupped Damon's buttocks in her hands, spreading them open for Stefan – the older vampire groaning appreciatively and licking at her neck – nipping at her ear and quickening his thrusts.

"Damon – Damon!" Elena cried out, giving halting gasps as she started to tumble over the edge into climax, clinging to the darker vampire – clawing lightly at his shoulders, which only excited Damon further. And just as she came apart – just as she fell over that precipice, Stefan joined them fully – seating himself within Damon, buried in the intense and burning heat. He was burning alive and it shouldn't be possible – it _shouldn't _be possible.

But Elena's cries distracted him, groaning himself at the sight, Damon thrusting through her climax – gasping himself and avidly watching her with an awestruck gaze, groaning out his own satisfaction.

"Oh my god Damon!" Elena cried out. "Stefan!"

She must have felt Stefan adding his own thrusts into his lover's body – driving him deeper into hers – and groaned loudly, gripping his lover's hips in his hands and driving into him forcefully with restrained but powerful thrusts. He didn't want to hurt Elena through Damon and controlled himself – barely able. The inhumanly strong body he was buried to the hilt within screamed of being able to take all that he could give – plead for it. The body his brother was buried in was fragile in comparison and begged for greater care. Demanded it – leaving Stefan torn on the brink of giving into his desires or not.

"Ohhh my god," Elena groaned with halting gasps, "I'm going to come again – Damon don't stop! No one stop-"

Damon groaned through gritted teeth, thrusting harder within her, his own gasps rising with intensity.

"You going to come Damon?" Stefan murmured huskily in his ear, quickening his own thrusts into his lover's willing heat.

"Yes, Damon-" Elena gasped, meeting his eyes with her own, "Come inside me Damon – oh my god come with me-"

"Elena!" Damon shouted, the cry sounding borderline on that of pain as his climax crested. Elena's cries joined his own, both overlapping each other and Stefan couldn't hold back – couldn't, not with something this intense – not with something so beautiful as watching Elena and Damon come apart together, and tumbled over into climax as well – his brother's depths clenching around his length and pulling everything from him that he had.

"Damon!" he yelled in turn, biting down on his lip hard to keep from sinking his teeth into his brother's neck instead – reaching out blindly and finding a hand with his own. Slim and humanly fragile he clung to it with as much strength as he dared. And even without the bonding of biting – he still felt as though in that moment they were all more connected that any of them had ever been before –

"Damon!" Elena yelled suddenly, Stefan broken out of his daze of pleasure – his mouth falling open in shock at the sight before him – Damon's teeth buried in their lover's neck as he continued to thrust forcefully inside her, still coming, still racing over orgasm and entirely lost.

Blood pooled down at the bottom of the shower, whisked away by water, Stefan reacting too quickly to notice it – wrapping his arm around Damon's chest and moving to pull him back, "Damon stop!"

"Stefan –" Elena gasped, "I don't think he can hear you!"

"Damon!"

"Can't you pull him off?" Elena managed, her somewhat fear stricken eyes darting up to catch his.

"I – I can't. If he doesn't let go your throat could be ripped out – fuck! Damon!"

"Stefan I can't-" Elena said, beginning to weaken as she started to slump in Damon's arms – rapidly losing her strength.

And her life.


	2. From Ashes to Ashes

Note to the Readers/Disclaimer: I didn't put one on the first chapter because I am soo not used to this form of writing on , I'm still not adjusted so bare with me. Also this is a Stefan/Elena/Damon _poly-amorous _pairing. This type of relationship is classified as being exclusive between partners and consisting of more than two people. Three is a triad and anything more is a tribe. This isn't a love _triangle_. Katherine herself said to Elena that she can love them both – well she can! And so this is my take on TVD without all that ridiculous triangle drama. And of course I own _none _of this... you'd be watching it if I did XD – Jyler soon to come! They're as much a part of this as the other three, not as in the forefront but I love them too so they'll get a chance to shine.

Oh and this is _slight _AU meaning – they got Stefan away from Klaus fairly quick, put him in Vampire rehab, and then killed the bastard.

Full Moon Rising – Chapter 2, 'Ashes to Ashes'

Stefan blurred faster than he'd ever moved in his life, flying out of the shower and out of the bathroom so fast his skin was very nearly instantly dried – the chill cutting him to the bone. He knew he had seconds to act, maybe less, and the fear that he'd find Elena dead when he returned spurred him on still faster.

He grabbed a vervain dart from the supplies they had on hand, what Alaric had supplied them with and what they still kept stocked, blurring back up to Damon's bathroom. Elena's eyes, concerned but probably not holding as much fear as they should have – she still placed a ridiculous amount of trust in them after everything – met his as Stefan rushed forward.

The younger vampire stabbed the dart into his brother's naked skin – watching as it all disappeared, hoping and praying that it worked. They'd been taking small amounts of vervain daily to build up a resistance and a tolerance and for now he was hoping they hadn't quite succeeded. And while it took everything the dart had, Damon did finally slump – releasing Elena at last and letting out a sound of pain and confusion as he slumped to the floor.

Stefan couldn't catch them both so he caught Elena instead, knowing even weakened Damon's body could take the fall far, far better than their human lover. He put an arm underneath her knees and the other behind her back, cradling her close and blurring them into the other room.

The smell of blood was so overpowering he could barely stand it, it nearly making him dizzy. He felt his face begin to change, staggering a bit where he stood before he managed to pull himself together.

Laying her down on the bed he frantically surveyed the damage – Elena fuzzily reaching up to touch her neck, "Damon – is he okay?"

"You're seriously asking about Damon right now?" Stefan asked disbelievingly but managing to smile despite it all, quickly reaching for a clean washcloth they kept on hand in the nightstand drawer and pressing it against her still bleeding neck. He wasn't sure what to do. She had lost so much blood and what was worse – Damon had done a sloppy amount of damage. It had all been a mistake. He had known that and he'd let it happen – it was all his fault and the guilt was like a wooden stake in side.

"Stefan," she said but her voice was slurred and she tried again, "Stefan I'm okay."

"Damon nearly killed you." Stefan debated a moment and then brought his wrist up to his lips, biting into the flesh and puncturing it just enough to draw blood, "You need to drink this. It'll heal your injuries at least, stop the bleeding."

"I'm still bleeding?" Elena asked and made to try and look for herself, her brain not connecting that was entirely impossible.

"Yes. But you won't be if you take some of my blood. Please Elena." he said, trying to still the shake of his hands as he gently lifted her and slipped behind, bringing his bleeding wrist up to her mouth. And while he knew, to her, it had to be extremely unpleasant – she managed it choking down a few swallows before she pushed him away – shaking her head.

"That helped." she said, her voice far more coherent, "Damon he – Stefan –"

"I shot him full of vervain. He's not going anywhere."

"I wasn't talking about that." Elena said, wincing as she tried to sit up a bit more. Stefan blurred to get some towels, giving Damon a cursory and concerned glance to make sure he was all right. And while he was worried, he was also extremely upset. He knew Damon wasn't feeling well but this was just like Damon. To say damn the consequences and give in to his feelings. And he was disappointed.

He didn't appear to be in any danger – so he could lay there for a moment or two longer.

Stefan grabbed the medical kit too – from his own room, Damon had nothing of the sort – and returned to Elena's side, wincing at the site of her neck. Even half healed it was an ugly, seeping wound and he quickly reached for the kit to bandage it, avoiding his human lover's eyes. She didn't appear to be happy with the way he was treating Damon. He couldn't help that.

"Stefan bring Damon to bed please. It wasn't... he wouldn't have killed me." she said softly, reaching up to gingerly touch the bandage on her neck.

Stefan set his jaw unhappily and Elena blinked in shock, looking far more angered than before, "He's not a dog you can punish Stefan! He made a _mistake_. You _know _how hard it is to control your instincts. Its not fair to judge him like this!"

"I just get so irritated at him Elena. The way he throws everything aside to get what _he _wants?"

"You know its not like that Stefan. And you're starting to scare me. If you're not going to go get him I will."

The ever constant smell of blood reached up again and he gave his hands, covered in his human lover's blood, a shocked and somewhat dumbfounded look. The feeling of dizziness returned and he closed his eyes against the sudden reeling sensation of vertigo and _hunger_-

"Stefan!" he heard Elena call.

"I'm – I'm fine." he managed in response, staggering away from her. "Just – I'm fine."

His oversensitive ears, perked with the feeling of blood lust coursing through his veins, picked up movement and he had to ignore the feeling of following – hunting, stalking. It was on his hands, so near, so within reach. He knew he wasn't fully recovered from Klaus' mad schemes to turn him into everything he so hated but this had thrown him off guard entirely.

There was suddenly a cool, wet sensation on his hands and he looked up in shock – watching as Elena wiped his hands clean of her blood, and finally her voice reached him over the buzz in his ears. "...fan – _Stefan_. Just breathe. Breathe. Okay?"

Stefan nodded wearily and closed his eyes and followed her suggestions, and slowly with her help managed to pull himself back from the brink, from the edge of that insanity of hunger and false need. He didn't need it. He could live without it and he would – it was the best and only way. He wouldn't become what he hated, that wasn't an option.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine." Stefan managed, tossing on a number of things – words and phrases but managing only that. "I better go get Damon. And some clothes."

"Stefan he's crying on the floor. He's _sorry_. He's beside himself! I knew he didn't do this on purpose-"

"He's _what_?" now well and truly alarmed, Stefan put a hand on her arm and gently brushed past – part of him registering that she was dressed to some extent in one of their shirts. But his mind was fixated on the fact that Damon was apparently having a breakdown of sorts on the floor.

He turned off the shower as he stepped inside.

"Stef – Stefan?" Damon managed, reaching weakly out to him and looking appropriately vervain drugged and out of it. But there _were _tears in his eyes – he looked remorseful. And he looked sorry.

"Hey." Stefan managed and he nearly winced. _That _sounded pathetic in the face of everything that had happened. That all he could offer was that, and he tried to gather himself, pushing away his shock and the previous anger and disappoint at his brother – reaching out to him. "It's all right Damon. It'll be okay."

"I really didn't mean too. I really didn't Stef you have to believe me."

The use of his the childhood name Damon hadn't called him by in over a century and a half nearly ripped his heart out. And dammit if being a Vampire wasn't a curse in the most entirely unsuspecting ways. It made you _feel _so much it hurt. Humans had it easy in comparison!

"I know D." Stefan managed, looking up at Elena who had come to join them, wearing only Damon's black shirt – slightly rumpled but in any other circumstances and still even now she was gorgeous, hair wet and unbrushed. Stefan just wished that their first time had gone far better than this.

He reached out for his brother, maneuvering him into his arms and lifting him gently. Shockingly Damon cringed a bit – as if Stefan had planned to hit him instead, and Stefan's heart lurched in his chest and tugged painfully.

"It's okay Damon." Elena murmured, following them close and reaching out to brush a hand through his hair.

"Call Alaric." Stefan said as he laid his brother down onto the bed, pulling back the covers and urging him under it, "Maybe Isabelle's research can tell us something about what's happening to Damon."

"You really think its because of Klaus?" Elena sighed and gave him a bit of a smile, reaching down for her pants, "Dumb question."

"It's the only working theory we have." Stefan crouched down beside Damon and ran a hand through his hair, feeling his forehead and blinking a bit in shock. He didn't feel warm at all. He felt normal.

"What?" Elena said, catching his look.

Stefan shook his head, "I thought he had a fever but he isn't now."

"That's strange." Elena frowned, sitting down close beside their lover – feeling with a hand along Damon's back, his forehead, "Yeah he feels fine. Well fine for a vampire." she smiled.

Stefan smiled back and pulled some more covers around Damon, leaning down to brush a kiss over the sleeping vampire's lips. But his smile faded and he frowned, "He's out."

"How much vervain did you give him?"

"All of it. I had too. We've built up an immunity. Doesn't usually act quite like this though." as Stefan spoke he idly ran a hand through his brother's hair, needing to touch – Damon was sleep, so it was more to comfort himself than his older brother, who was no doubt entirely unaware of it. "Must be everything else," he murmured.

Elena sighed softly, thoughtfully, both looking over – Elena down at the phone in her hand – as it chimed with a text message.

"He's on his way." Elena said, "He said he'll bring over whatever he has."

"Good." Stefan said, nodding quietly and he felt oddly attached to his brother right in that moment. He didn't want to leave him, he was worried and after especially nearly losing them – all of them nearly losing the precious bond they'd just finally formed – he was feeling a bit of anxiety at the thought.

"I'm sure he'll be okay Stefan."

Stefan looked up, pulled from his thoughts, and relaxed some at Elena's caring – reassuring smile. She was worried, he could tell, they both were. But they'd get through it, together – as it should be. As they had before, even with the petty bickering and love triangle of the past, they'd done the same and they would now. They weren't repeating the mistakes of the previous century, him and Damon, and Stefan was convinced that had put them all on the right track to better days. He'd see to it as much as he possibly could to make sure it stayed that way.

Elena smiled and held out her hand to him and Stefan relaxed a bit more and took it, standing and then freezing, "I'm... still naked aren't I?"

"Yes." Elena laughed, "But I'm loving the look."

"I'm going to go grab some pants."

"Okay." she chuckled.

Stefan found something in Damon's room he could wear, and it was a flicker of amusement that he realized both he and Elena were wearing their lover's clothes. He returned to the bed and gently moved Damon, who groaned in protest ever so softly. Stefan murmured a few consoling things and Elena did the same, both of them shifting and adjusting so that Damon was between them – Stefan holding him and Elena at his back.

"We'll figure this out." Elena murmured against Damon's shoulder.

Seeking out her hand with his, they interlaced their fingers together over Damon's side, Stefan nodding as he brushed consoling kisses into her hair. "Yeah. We will." he whispered back. He just hoped whatever was happening was not permanent.

It was getting colder in Mystic Falls, the winters often coming relentlessly and leaving the town buried in snow with no hope till Spring – the biting chill to the air not lost on the young teen shouldering his backpack through a particularly frosty draft of air as he headed to his boyfriend's car across the school parking lot.

They always met here, when things weren't getting all crazy, the younger Gilbert smiling as he spotted Tyler Lockwood – leaning casually against his car, sexy as usual without even seeming to try. It brought a wry grin to Jeremy's lips, glancing about as he stepped near and raising an eyebrow at him questioningly, "Can I have a kiss or uh you going to bust me if I try?"

"Nah..." Tyler smiled and took his hands out of his pockets, glancing around too to make sure they wouldn't be seen – his dark eyes settling on Jeremy's, "I think we can get away with it just this once."

"Mm." Jeremy smiled sardonically through the kiss, breathing out his pleasure softly and immediately regretting the loss of the short embrace of lips and tongue when it was gone, "Well we can always get away with it more than once. Somewhere else."

Tyler grinned and reached back for his car door to the passenger side, nodding towards it, "Come on. Get in."

Jeremy blinked in surprise, almost frozen on the spot for a second, "Wha – you mean it?" he smiled around his near stuttering and shifted on his feet, shifting his backpack too – more over the shoulder, "I mean... you don't usually allow that."

Tyler shrugged like it was no big deal, like he wasn't hiding their relationship as fiercely – more so – than the fact that he was a modern day teen werewolf. "I am today."

The younger Gilbert moved to say something, maybe argue about why he could just allow it everyday instead of just on occasion – but he let it go, figuring this was too nice to pass up, and deciding to enjoy it instead.

And then he realized – besides some late night encounters at night and some fumbling around in the dark fooling around, he'd never seen Tyler's car in the daylight. He'd never been _in _it all that much to take in the details and there certainly hadn't been enough light around to aide the process.

"I... listen Jeremy-" Tyler started, averting his gaze and focusing it on his lap instead.

Jeremy felt his heart skip a beat in his chest and he moved to get out of the car, to flee or escape – to avoid this inevitable conversation.

"Just no okay? I totally can't deal with this right now-"

"What?" Tyler blinked, looking up at him in confusing and a hint of fear creeping into his voice as well – a wariness Jeremy hadn't heard there before since practically beating down the other teen's walls just to get close to him.

Jeremy shared the respective and unsure blink, pausing from getting out of the car to turn back to him, "What you... you're not breaking up with me?"

"Breaking up with you?" Tyler managed, giving him another blink that suggested he was the biggest moron in the world for even suggesting it and it made Jeremy relax against the passenger seat of Tyler's Chevelle with profound relief, "Are you kidding I … I wanted to thank you."

"Thank me?" Jeremy managed, slowly shutting the door behind him.

"Yeah for... everything that you've done recently. Helping with the first transformation and... all the ones after that. Everything."

Tyler's eyes shifted away, and he looked borderline on uncomfortable – a silence falling in the car, the older teen looking unsettled after the emotional deceleration. Jeremy himself was too shocked to say anything, a rush of emotions overtaking him and choking off any response but the shock was doing pretty good of that too.

"Anyway-" Tyler said, reaching for his keys.

"Hey. Don't." Jeremy leaned forward as Tyler gave him a somewhat confused and startled look, meeting the older teen's lips with his own and trying to convey in that kiss everything that he was feeling – how much it had meant to hear what Tyler had just said, how much he appreciated how hard it was for him, the love near to breaking it was so intense – swelling to life within his chest and making him wonder just how he could _feel _so much.

And when the kiss finally ended both teens were practically breathless, Tyler's obsidian depths gazing back at him with a measure of confusion but love swept confusion at that. But he was more at ease, relaxed and Jeremy gave him a smile.

"You're welcome." he whispered softly.

Tyler relaxed with a smile, nodding and breaking the eye contact, "Scared me there. Like that wasn't awkward or anything." he said, playing with the car keys in his hands.

Jeremy breathed a laugh and shook his head slightly, sitting back in the passenger seat and giving his boyfriend a look, "Scared _you_? Scared me Ty." he murmured, his voice automatically softening at the affectionate shortening of his lover's name.

And Tyler's gaze softened at it as well, "I didn't mean too. I know I've kinda been a dick about our relationship but this football scholarship –"

"I know, no I get that." Jeremy agreed gently and he did. Even though he bit back on other feelings, other worries that weighed him down in the middle of the night – when he didn't have a warm werewolf body to wrap his arms around or be enfolded in his boyfriend's embrace. Like if Tyler did get the scholarship, and he would if they didn't blow it – he was good, he could do it. But of everything after. Then they'd have to hide it for him to keep it, college... a career.

But Jeremy would do it. There was no thought to that. And in the end he _was _calling it a relationship, which was more than Tyler Lockwood had ever done. If this was as close as the younger Gilbert got... he was in the end okay with that.

"I love you." Jeremy said, and for some reason it was hard to say – emotional as a guy he could be, generally wearing his heart on his sleeve, sometimes he wasn't the one to openly declare the things he was feeling.

Tyler, the look in his eyes, the subtle softening of the lines around his eyes and the corners of his mouth as he smiled – the way his shoulders relaxed and eased still further and the way he stopped messing with the keys in his hands, it was more beautiful to Jeremy than a lot of things. He didn't even have to say the words next for Jeremy to know them, he knew how hard they were for Tyler to say but to hear it –

"I love you too Jer." Tyler smiled.

Jeremy leaned in for another kiss but he made it much shorter than he would have liked, settling for putting all of his heart into it instead. He had a feeling pushing Tyler for anything more might not be welcome – especially how far out on an emotional limb Tyler had already gone and so that made him keep it short too. That and they were in the middle of the school parking lot. Funny how he thought of that last.

"I'll drop you off by Elena's car." Tyler said a bit hesitatingly with a smile and Jeremy breathed a smile of his own and nodded, settling back against the passenger side once more.

Jeremy knew Tyler didn't _have _to. He could let him off right here instead but he got the feeling they both didn't want to say good bye just yet. But as Tyler was putting the car in reverse, or just starting too, Alaric's Tahoe pulled up from behind – stopping him from going any further.

The two teens shared questioning glances and moved to get out, Alaric rolling down his window and looking over at Jeremy, "Elena's a bit tied up so she sent me after you." he looked over at Tyler, "And Stephan wants to talk to you so I figured I'd kidnap you both." he smiled.

Jeremy and Tyler exchanged more glances but they weren't wary, moving to get into Alaric's car and shutting the doors firmly behind them before they asked any questions. There wasn't a whole lot the history teacher could say in the middle of a school parking lot and they both knew that, with the kind of lives they lived.

"Talk to me?" Tyler asked, raising his eyebrows incredulously but looking characteristically suspicious. It wasn't like him to trust anyone. And even now he struggled with it, even with Jeremy – but he didn't hold that against him. Not at all. He just knew that it was who his boyfriend was and it didn't insult him.

"Yeah," Alaric glanced around in the mirrors to make sure he was clear and then started pulling away, taking a breath before responding, "Something's wrong with Damon and they don't know what. Elena's with them now, it's why I'm giving you a ride home Jeremy." he said, glancing back at him in the mirror, "We're thinking-" he said, turning his attention back to Tyler, "Klaus' blood is affecting him somehow but we don't know exactly in what way."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"It might be Klaus' werewolf side that's affecting him, nothing else makes sense. We just want to ask you a few questions."

"What's wrong with him?" Jeremy asked, "And forget taking me home. I'm coming with you guys." he added.

"I thought you'd say that." Ric smiled a bit but his smile faded and he hesitated, looking a bit and distinctly uncomfortable, as if he didn't know how to phrase what he was about to say, "He's been feverish, hot – off and on. And his... sex drive seems to be a lot higher than normal."

"Well I didn't need to know that." Tyler said under his breath.

"You sure that's not just Damon?" Jeremy smiled, laughing a bit, "I mean from what we all know of him. I'm not judging but-"

"Yeah I know." Alaric smiled and the knowing in his eyes made it Jeremy's turn to feel uncomfortable a bit, laughing and clearing his throat.

Alaric realized the tone of his words and flushed a bit, glancing out the window as he made a right hand turn, "Elena and Stephan have a feeling its more than just... Damon being Damon. And their instincts are good so I trust their judgment. He seems to be more emotional, more sensitive – but then again completely fine. Like nothing is wrong."

"Does he think there's something wrong?" Tyler asked.

"If he does he's not telling." Alaric snorted. "But uh..." he started to look uncomfortable again, "Vampires... sexually speaking – biting between Vampires is very intimate. Its something Stefan and Damon have been keeping from Elena and they all swore on it. For the obvious risks. Damon seemed to throw that out the window and nearly killed Elena."

"He _what_?" Jeremy managed.

"He was sorry. Beside himself very nearly. He lost control and that was when they called me. They thought Isabel might have something, anything in her records about this. We found nothing. Of course. This is probably the first time this has ever happened in history and in that case we might be-"

"Screwed?" Tyler smiled.

Alaric gave him a light glare, "Up a creek without a paddle." he said flatly.

Jeremy cracked a smile but tried to smother it, especially when Alaric extended that glare to him but it was also softened by a smile somewhat, partially hidden by the rear view mirror.

"I don't know how I can help." Tyler said, glancing up at the tall imposing Salvatore house as they got out of Alaric's SUV.

"I don't know either. We just want to ask you a few questions." Alaric said.

Stefan greeted them at the front door, Jeremy looking for Elena but not seeing her.

"She's upstairs with Damon." Stefan said, answering his unspoken or nearly spoken question.

"Is she okay?" Jeremy asked, and he didn't mean to sound like the overprotective douche brother but even though he counted Damon as a tenuous friend – that went out the window when it came to his sister's safety.

"She's fine. Damon didn't mean to hurt her and I gave her some of my blood to heal whatever damage he might have done. She's a little tired from the blood loss but she's fine." Stefan guided them into the main living room, books scattered about nearly on every surface – probably Jeremy figured from what Ric had brought over as they'd tried to figure out just what was going on with Damon.

"You said you wanted to ask me a few questions?" Tyler asked, finding a spot on the couch and sitting down. Jeremy took a seat next to him, unconsciously at a respectable 'friend' distance. It was almost laughable but he was just _too _used to this 'keeping up appearances' thing.

"Uh yeah." Stefan said, taking a breath and sitting down on the couch opposite of him, putting his hands together in front of him, "Did Ric explain to you what was going on?"

"Yeah." Tyler said, "I'll tell you whatever I can but I don't know if it'll help you."

"Okay." Stefan nodded slightly, "You've had what several transformations now?

"Yeah." Tyler nodded, "Give or take."

"And you've been with Jeremy since the start of all of them haven't you?"

"Relationship wise?" Tyler asked and after Stefan's nod, he gave him one of his own.

"During each full moon... have you ever noticed having more of a... sexual appetite than usual?" Stefan asked, wincing a bit at the direct subject but plunging ahead nevertheless. Jeremy respected that. How else were they going to get through this? But the question made him feel a twinge at how personal it was all the same. Because he knew an _immediate _answer to that question. Tyler did too by the expression on his face, the slight and barely noticeable flush to his tan cheeks.

"Yeah..." Tyler said hesitatingly, nodding, "And the closer to the full moon I get it gets worse. Well not... _worse_ its just intense. It is usually but-"

"I understand that. Just more than usual?"

"Oh yeah." Tyler said, letting out a breath and glancing over at Jeremy.

"Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions." Stefan said, holding up his hands a moment and letting them drop back to his legs as he moved to stand, "Maybe that's it. Maybe Klaus' blood is still in Damon's system and its affecting his ..." Stefan hesitated, smiling, "Sexual appetite."

"That doesn't get any less awkward to say does it?" Alaric chuckled.

"No it doesn't." Stefan smiled over at Jeremy and Taylor as he stood, "Elena's not going to like this but Jeremy do your best to kinda keep her away from here for a few days. I can't trust Damon like this. I think I'm the only one that should be around him for a bit. See how this pans out."

Jeremy nodded, "You got it. You know Elena's not an easy person to keep in the house though right?"

"I said do your best." Stefan chuckled, "I didn't say it was entirely possible."

"Come on." Ric said, nodding towards the door, "I'll give you boys a ride home."

Stefan followed them to the door, shutting it behind them and letting out a soft breath once it was shut – the outside world safely between him, his lovers, and everything else. Making Elena the owner of the Salvatore house had been the best decision they had made in a long time – since coming together, the three of them. It was a shelter away from it all. And considering the harsh unpredictability of the outside world, he was so very grateful for it.

Elena was all by appearances sleeping when he joined them in the upstairs bedroom, pausing in the doorway to just watch them – both relaxed in sleep and each looking far more vulnerable than they ever would awake, _especially _Damon.

Their human lover was asleep sitting up partially against the headboard, a hand still in Damon's hair from where she'd been stroking it before falling asleep. Damon was curled up beside Elena, head resting on her stomach – a hand around her, resting on her side. He almost looked childlike, in the arms of his mother and in many ways sometimes that's exactly what he and Elena felt like. Parents.

He smiled more at that thought and let out a breath, stepping into the room, moving as silently as he could so as not to disturb them. Elena was well and truly out. Despite the blood loss she'd been stubborn, watching over them both and staying awake – watching while Damon slept. Even Stefan had dozed, lulled in the secure knowing that she was there. The human element to them both that neither vampire could live without. It was the only thing that kept his conscience clean and let him sleep peacefully at night.

Damon's eyes lazily opened and while he still looked sedated, he was a lot more alert than before – Stefan pausing for a second, thinking he might just fall back asleep. But when it was clear he wasn't going to do that, he just kept approaching the bed until he was standing beside it. "Hey." he whispered softly, pitching it too softly for Elena to hear – he hoped. The last thing he wanted to do was wake her when she finally was sleeping.

"Hey." Damon said hoarsely, frowning at himself and clearing his voice, those almost translucent blue eyes blinking a bit against the sunlight shinning into the room. Sometimes people asked – if they ever got close enough to them too, why Damon looked a bit different than Stefan. Brothers they were but not completely. They'd had different mothers, it was where Damon had gotten the darker looks and those incredible blue eyes. His father had called them shadows and sunshine. Damon had unfortunately been looked down upon as the 'shadows' but Stefan had looked at it far more positively. Growing up – his older brother despite being the elder had followed _him _around like his little shadow.

"How are you feeling?" Stefan murmured, reaching out to stroke his hair.

"Fine. Despite the circumstances." he grumbled a bit.

Stefan felt a pang, despite it all. Damon had lived. If he hadn't intervened and shot his brother full of that horrible toxin vervain, Elena wouldn't be anymore alive than either of them were right now, a lot less in fact... but he was still sorry. "I had to Damon."

"I know." Damon winced, closing his eyes and frowning a bit.

"You feel okay?" he asked his brother, sharing the frown – his of concern, "How are you feeling?"

"I feel like I have a hundred year old hangover but yeah other than that I'm just _peachy_."

Stefan smiled a bit, sighing and looking up at Elena, "I hate to wake her but-"

"Think its too late for that." Damon said without opening his eyes.

Stefan frowned and looked back up at Elena, "Are you awake Elena?"

"I don't exactly want to be." she groaned, her expression softening with a smile as she opened an eye and fixed him with a sleepy, questioning look.

The younger vampire smiled and leaned forward, kissing her forehead as she closed her eyes appreciatively and let out a soft sound. "Now that's a way to wake up." she smiled.

"How are you feeling?" Stefan asked.

"Not bad." Elena winced a bit as she moved to sit up, running a hand over Damon's back, the older vampire rolling off of her and turning away from the sunlight so that she could move. Stefan wanted to help her but he had a feeling that would be wanted, reaching out to fold the blankets over his brother instead.

Elena gave a glance over at Damon, noticed the slight sulking line to his shoulders and winced a bit in concern, "I'm fine. I feel a lot better." she said to Stefan, but Stefan could see it was more for Damon's guilt.

"Did you find out anything?" she asked, brushing a strand of hair back from her face and tucking it behind an ear – turning her eyes to him questioningly and hopefully.

"Yeah actually I think I did." Stefan said, sitting down on the bed with them, Elena folding her legs under her to give him room.

Damon turned partially so that he could look at him like this, "Stefan there isn't anything wrong with me." he said, looking mildly offended that he'd gone so far as to look into it. He'd protested before but Elena and Stefan had had nothing of that.

The younger brother turned his eye to Elena, figuring to speak to the more rational of his two lover's at the moment was best. "Tyler said that his sex drive is very intense before a full moon. I think that Klaus' werewolf blood just stirred up Damon's. By the looks of it this will just pass."

"And I can't... turn into anything." Damon said, "I mean I'd have to die in order to become a hybrid or whatever so there's no worry about that." he groaned and closed his eyes, "Stefan could you please shut that window?"

"Yeah." Stefan smiled, moving to stand and to draw the curtains closed, "I'll light some candles instead."

"On second thought maybe mood lighting might not be best until this is over with." Elena chuckled, reaching over for the bedside lamp.

"Good point." Stefan smiled, moving back from the windows, "And speaking of which... I think this might be a great opportunity to finish our master bedroom." he started diplomatically. He was hoping this would lead to Elena leaving the Salvatore house to get some 'ideas' for that while he handled Damon. He hated her leaving his side – without their protection. But Klaus was as good as dead and there was a momentary lull over Mystic Falls. And he wouldn't risk Elena's life a second time with Damon in such an unpredictable state.

"I'm hungry." Damon muttered into the pillow beneath him, "I'm going to go make some eggs." he reached down for the covers and pulled them off, sitting up and running a hand through his disheveled hair – sending it in even more amusing directions.

"I can do it." Stefan offered.

"I got it." Damon said irritably, shooting him a dark look. "It's not like I'm an invalid or anything. I can handle it myself."

They let him go, Elena exchanging a look with Stefan and it was only when he was out of the room did they move to follow after getting a lot more dressed than they were right now.

"Do you really mean that about the master bedroom?" Elena smiled, wrapping her arms around his hips once they were far more safely dressed.

"Yesss." Stefan smiled, leaning down to meet her lips gently, "I'm very serious. I think we've been avoiding it-"

"For obvious but reasons that I still think are ridiculous."

"Elena..." Stefan sighed, closing his eyes a moment, "Even after _all _this-?"

"Stefan these are extenuating circumstances. You haven't given Damon a shot yet without them."

Stefan dropped his head down to her shoulder briefly and groaned a bit before lifting it again, "Okay... okay."'

"You mean that?"

"I mean it." he smiled, "Just... it'll take some adjusting I think."

"Well I know that." she leaned forward and met his lips with his own, "But thank you."

"You're welcome. I think." Stefan smiled, "Come on-" he said, reaching out to take her hand, "Let's go find 'Mr. Tall Dark and Moody'."

"I thought that was you." she smiled, nudging his shoulder playfully.

"Mmm no." Stefan said, appearing to give that a lot of serious thought for a second. He gave her a smile, "I would be 'Mr. Tall Light and Broody'."

"Oh." Elena laughed, "Okay that makes sense."

Stefan shared the laugh but their smiles faded a bit hearing a good deal of commotion in the kitchen as they drew near it. Stefan automatically reached out to put her behind him slightly, a shield if necessary, glad for it when a pan was the first thing that greeted them when they stepped into the small kitchen, the cookware clattering against the wall and dropping with an equal amount of noise to the floor as Elena ducked a bit further behind him.

Stefan raised both eyebrows at Damon, the older vampire giving him nonchalant look and holding out his arms, "What? It was in the _way_."


End file.
